


Hold me

by Kimmy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Height Differences, How Do I Tag, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Protective Steve, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29432616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimmy/pseuds/Kimmy
Summary: The last time Steve was shorter than somebody was in 1944. Then an alien god drops from the sky - he's tall, dark and handsome... and he's trying to invade the planet. Or is he?
Relationships: Loki/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	Hold me

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's! Look at me conforming to silly amatonormative traditions that are an excuse for fluffy fics!

Steve awoke in a world where superheroes were a thing. And apparently, he was one.

Here’s the thing. Steve found the blue and red costume absolutely deplorable and although the field version was slightly better, he still wasn’t a fan of absolutely zero camouflage properties and completely humiliating design. (When he told Phil, the kind agent who explained that it was the future, the man seemed disappointed. That was because _he_ never had to wear it.) But even with the stars and stripes, Steve never saw it as more than a stupid costume. He saw himself as a soldier (once he wasn’t a flying monkey anymore) and not a superhero. Superheroes were in comic books. They didn’t _exist_. Except apparently now they did.

There were superheroes in the future - not like in the comics, with teams and alien invasions (years later Steve would recall that thought and wonder if he jinxed or if he was grateful he thought it) but there were superheroes. Specifically, two of them. Well, one real superhero, and one soldier, and then some weird happenings but the future was full of them. Iron Man, real name Tony Stark, was apparently Howard’s son, which was strangely comforting in a world where everyone he knew was dead or old, and he was a superhero who had a super-advanced technological armour that allowed him to fly. War Machine, real name James Rhodes, was apparently Tony Stark’s best friend and owned a similar armour but dealt with saving people in active war zones while Iron Man stuck to the home soil. He was a coloured man! A coloured superhero. The future was incredible. There was also apparently a man who could turn into a huge green monster and he was also good but he didn’t have perfect control and disappeared a few years ago. And there was also the whole future thing: humans could go to space now... and aliens existed.

Aliens came to Earth once before, apparently, in the 90s, Phil told Steve. But a year ago one of them came back, and he was much more friendly and kicked ass of some robot that looked a bit like War Machine but much uglier. Phil also told Steve about the Cold War (which wasn’t actually a war) and about equal rights, and about Dodgers moving to LA. That was more painful than finding out his old home was demolished and a shopping mall (another future thing) now stood in its place.

„Steve?”

A hand waved in front of his eyes and Steve shook himself out of the trance where he was staring at the holograms (Clint and Natasha, who he knew from SHIELD now, and Bruce, the green monster guy, and Thor, the alien, and him and Tony _and the fucking Tessaract and another alien_ ) to look at his boyfriend.

„I’m here. I’m awake. So. Avengers?”

After Phil explained the future to Steve, Steve got to meet Iron Man (since they were now kind of two only active superheroes on American soil, as far as the general public knew) and Tony offered him a place to live because Steve didn’t exactly have one. He moved into the Stark Tower, and got to know Tony, and then moved again, from his bedroom to Tony’s, because it had a better view (of New York skyline, and of iron ass). Future was nice. It had gay rights, sexy rich superheroes and dishwashers.

And now, according to what Phil just told them, evil alien invasions. That whole alien business was more trouble than it was worth.

After Phil left, Steve was still watching the PEGASUS facility footage.

„Freedom is life’s greatest lie.”

„Doesn’t make sense, does it?” Tony asked, joining him and watching as the alien droned on before disappearing with the Tessaract, Clint and a scientist on the case. Then the guy went on a rampage and did something weird to Clint that made him chill and happily trot after him.

„He doesn’t look good.”

”What?” Tony look at Steve, whose eyes were still fixated on the screen. „That’s rude, honeycakes, he’s a handsome guy. For an evil overlord.”

Steve gave his boyfriend a look of poorly concealed amusement.

„Oh, I’m sure he’s handsome. When he isn’t sweaty, pale, moving erratically with a stick he doesn’t seem to realize he’s holding and huge dark bags under his eyes.”

Tony rewound the footage and they watched it again.

„He does kinda look like someone punched him in both eyes.”

„Harsh but accurate. And anyway, didn’t Phil say he’s Thor’s brother?”

„Phil?”

„Tony...”

„His name is Agent. Since when are you two on the first name basis, he has a total crush on you--”

„I’ve called him Phil since I was defrosted, you insecure idiot--”

„--not that I am being jealous but--”

„Tony.”

Tony gave him a huge pout but shut up. Steve kissed him to make it better.

„We need to look into this. The guy looks about as well as I did after chronic pain and the sickness of the week kicked my ass a bit too good.”

Tony nodded. Thor sounded like a good place to start. Too bad the guy was off-world.

***

Thor dropped on Earth and into their laps for questioning which was useful but horribly inconvenient in execution. Someone needs to tell the guy that stealing an important prisoner was a fantastic way to start a diplomatic incident.

Seeing Loki up close and his strange compliance didn’t ease Steve’s worries in the slightest and the glow stick (as Tony kept calling it) kept radiating weird vibes that put everyone on edge.

It also turned out that Thor was not a good place to start. Or not a good place to get any information whatsoever. They had heard like three different tales of „glorious battles” and an extensive description of Asgard’s fauna and flora before they managed to get it out of Thor that yes, Loki was his brother, and he was never evil before, and actually, Thor was usually the one to rush into battle first. And finally, they learned that Loki found out he was adopted from the enemy race Asgardians hated _a lot_ before trying to commit suicide. After which Thor seemed to just happily accept Loki went evil instead of trying to learn what happened. Steve and Tony had a whole second to exchange pointed looks before something rattled the hellicarrier.

After avoiding the crisis Natasha caused by poking the Loki-bear and Brucie-bear, saving the hellicarrier and figuring out where the portal was going to open („Loki doesn’t want to win. He wants our attention. He will make it somewhere crowded, somewhere obvious and where it would certainly make us see-- son of a bitch.”) they made their way to Manhattan, into the absolute madness. Steve didn’t like those non-human-looking aliens any more than he was liking Thor and Loki right now.

And then Tony was on a private com talking about a nuclear bomb - Steve read about those, and he was all too happy to never see one detonate but...

„If you’re not going to die, Tony, I will kill you myself.”

Tony laughed and told him he loved him and then... Tony fell.

„He’s not slowing down!”

Steve never wished to fly before this moment. But then the Hulk was there and Tony was alive and awake and Steve was kissing him in the middle of the street.

„We won.”

Tony smiled.

„Told you we would. Now, where did we leave our friendly neighbourhood alien overlord?”

Bruce, back to himself, grimaced at that.

„About that...”

If Loki wasn’t making pathetic sounds, Steve would wonder if he was still alive. He did manage to convince Natasha to take Clint and Thor back to SHIELD, promising that they could bring in Loki alone. If his and Tony’s theories were right, he really didn’t want to crowd the guy, and he didn’t want Clint or Thor near either way. Bruce went with them to the Tower, but despite the guilt, once he saw Loki did survive, he grabbed a now dusty blanket and promptly fell asleep on their now dusty sofa.

„If it’s all the same to you...” Loki’s voice was different now, quiet and raspy, but much more controlled. „I’ll have that drink now.”

Tony laughed, going over to pour himself a shot of vodka and a glass of 90% absinthe for Steve.

„What’s alien alcohol tolerance?”

Loki looked at the glass Steve had and fell onto a bar stool with a sigh.

„Whatever he is having but more.”

Tony just raised an eyebrow and gave Loki same size glass of absinthe, which the alien tossed back like a shot. That was too much even for Steve.

„Hey. You have green eyes.”

„Yes?” The guy seemed confused. „I always did?”

Well, no. He didn’t always have green eyes. Not for the past few days. Steve exchanged a meaningful glance with Tony. The trip to SHIELD was gonna be a fun one.

***

After weeks of bullshit and paperwork, life settled somewhat into a new normal. The Tower’s windows and the floor were repaired, and the entire city was building itself back up. Thor went back to his home planet, Bruce found himself a new lair in SI R&D, and SHIELD let Loki off after a lengthy and confidential trial that eventually found him innocent (to Loki’s own surprise). And Loki... Loki chose to stay on Earth, or Midgard, as he kept calling it. He also kept calling them Steven and Anthony and it was stupidly charming, so it was no wonder it only took about two months before the three of them ended up in bed together. The change in their relationship went over very smooth, and once he was let out of SHIELD’s custody, Loki moved in too, officially into his own bedroom that was now covered in weird plants and magical artefacts, and practically into Steve and Tony’s enormous bed (perks to being rich - Tony already bought a bed big enough it worked for poly).

Loki had his issues. Tony was still trying to convince him to come to his therapist together (so far unsuccessful) but altogether he seemed to be doing better than anyone had a right to after such an ordeal. Loki was strong and Steve admired him for that.

But then there was also the fact...

„Wanna go on a walk with me?”

Loki would never admit it but he still preferred to be with someone else when going outside, despite the fact there was no real footage that would make it easy to recognize him to the public.

„Tony coming too?”

„Nope. Tony is in a phase. Jarvis said to leave him be until he crashes on his own. Apparently, important science is happening.”

Steve smirked. That did sound like Tony. Loki stood by the couch that Steve was sketching on, looking stupidly handsome in the human apparel, slim jeans, a t-shirt with a kitten on it and a jeans jacket. Steve put his sketchbook down and looked up at his boyfriend, standing up... and still looking up.

„Sure, just let me dress.”

There is was. There was also the fact that Loki was tall. Loki was taller than Steve and it was absolutely _delightful_.

Steve hasn’t been the shorter person since 1944. He absolutely rejoiced in being able to fit under Loki’s chin and didn’t even care when Loki called him a puppy and ruffled his hair. Steve wondered if that’s what Tony felt like with both of them. And well, being bigger than Tony and being able to carry him around and snuggle him whole? That was great too. But Steve was absolutely certain he had won the single best position in this relationship. He had it both. He was the middle. It was an absolute best feeling in the world.

As he strolled through the park with Loki, people’s gaze sliding off them with Loki’s subtle spells, the sun on their faces and Steve’s cheek on Loki’s shoulder, he thought back to when he first awoke in this new strange world, and thought that at least alien invasions like in „The War of The Worlds” radio broadcast were a thing of fiction. But then an alien invasion happened and it shattered humanity’s understanding of the universe as they had known. And people died, and horrible things happened but... Thanos was dead, and Loki was alive, and Loki was _safe_ and _with them,_ and Steve couldn’t bring himself to be sorry for that. Deep down he felt that things could have gone much worse. This? This was their little happy ending.

***

Tony snuck into the dark bedroom sometime after 3 am. He did his best to be quiet, certain his boyfriends had a better sense of a normal schedule but then he tripped while looking for the bathroom door and whatever he hit, it made a loud clung as it hit the floor and suddenly there was soft light flooding the room. Loki’s face in the dim glow of the nightlight was pure judgement. Tony smiled sheepishly and used the ability to see to grab the bathroom door and quickly shower. By the time he was out and in soft pyjamas (with little shield pattern), Loki had settled back and even manhandled Steve’s starfish sprawl into the position of the little spoon so Tony had some space in the bed.

„Your shower was loud.”

„Sorry.” Tony muttered, trying to keep quiet for once. „Did I wake you up?”

Loki sighed, burying his face in Steve’s hair.

„No.”

„Nightmares?” Tony asked sympathetically.

„Yeah.”

Tony manoeuvred himself and Steve so he acted like a little spoon to him. With Loki on big spoon duty to Steve, in turn, they made a wonderful super-soldier sandwich. Grilled cheese, maybe, because Steve was always running hot and both Tony and Loki loved it.

„It’s okay. I am here now and I’m too awesome for nightmares.”

Loki snorted, not even bothering to call out the bullshit. Tony had just as much trouble sleeping. He dragged one hand out from beneath the comforter and put it over Steve until he caught Tony’s shoulder. Tony put his own hand over Loki’s.

„We’re gonna keep each other’s nightmares away, deal?”

„Deal.” Tony’s soft word felt like a promise and with it, the lights dimmed and a peaceful sleep wrapped around them.


End file.
